Every sport and every aspect thereof has the right, indeed a duty, to document itself, be it at a local primary, high school or, perhaps, university level.
It does not matter if it is a small club that started in a small town in the platteland or in a rural farming community or township, or a small, medium or large city.
It is all about people and who they grew up with, met casually along the way, ran against or played a ball sport with, who their families grew up with, and the lives that were touched and history made.
In days of yore, all such things were captured by scribes in long hand; later typewriters took over, many administered with a one-finger swing.
Advancement is a wonderful thing, until it is not. And when it enters the realm of “not”, it is often too late to play catch-up.
Articles, stories of significance, photographs and today’s video clips.
I have often fallen foul of not keeping and documenting such history, or have kept old news cuttings, but in boxes or drawers, which will inevitably become the target of a tidy-up in the home, office or other venue.
In recent weeks photographs, some in good condition, others not, have surfaced and been submitted.
For instance, a photograph of some of the leading runners from the first Amatola Sun half-marathon in 1987 appeared, and it oozes history.
It was a race that was made possible by the likes of John Davies (convenor), William Henna (co-convenor) and Graham Vass (sponsor) at a new level in the province.
In the photograph is the late Mzwandile Shube, a young man of enormous talent lost too early, and Monde Tutani, one of Border’s most versatile athletes with a sub-four minute mile, numerous other track feats, a flying 5km race from the War Memorial at the top of Oxford Street down to the German Monument above the Aquarium when he beat many great runners, and strong over 10km, 15km and the half-marathon. He lives in Cape Town now.
Matthews “Loop-en-Val” Motshwarateu, a renowned and world-class athlete who had run in various countries, adds to the folklore.
In 1981, the later Gauteng-based athlete won the SA Half-Marathon Championships over seven laps of the Esplanade in the colours of the University of Texas.
Alongside Motshwarateu is an equally talented runner — Willie Mankayi, who brought huge credit to the Eastern Cape for races from 10km to the marathon.
His best performance, and I would suggest still a Border record, was his 44-minute 15km set in Bellville, while a 2:14 marathon at the Buffs Marathon secured him SARRA colours.
Mankayi passed away last year at the age of just 63.
The fifth man in the photograph was an outstanding marathon man, Solomon Pongolo, who won numerous marathons and ultra marathons, and represented Border.
A totally different photograph that cropped up was one when I was invited to breakfast with a group of East London Athletic Club stalwarts, all retired, and that was a superb outing at the museum.
Included were Tony Viljoen, Trevor Gee and other luminaries from the province’s oldest club.
Just this week, a photograph was shared asking to assist with names, four of whom remain lost in the memory bank, but included were Darren de Reuck, Daille and Tracy Bowen, Willie Dalton, Michelle Hollis, Edwin Lwana, Mark Banks, Rodwell Sims, Don Watson and Jacqui Cook, who recently visited from across the waters.
It was taken at the Berry Dam Relay in 1986.
Sadly, in the new age, older copies of text or photographs are difficult to come by.
If any reader has such items that are deemed to be important to our sport, please contact me and let us see where it takes us.
The memories of special friends, family or simply acquaintances could well be preserved, as has been the case with Tony Viljoen’s book, Road Running – The Border Story.